Tray



oct. e, 1964 B B JONESy 3,151,578

' TRAY Filed Aug. 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Oct. 6, 1964 B. B. JONES 3,151,578

TRAY

Filed Aug. 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR @naar a. .l0/ves ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,151,578 TRAY Bobby dones, tlcala, Fla., assigner to Kenneth MacKay,

cala, Fla.; George lL. MacKay, Kenneth H. Mac- Kay, 1r., and .lulia Il. ll/lacay, cci-executors of Kenneth Maellay, deceased Filed Aug. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 216,590 3 Claims. (Cl. 10S-46) This invention relates to trays and more particularly to trays specilically adapted and useful in facilitating the handling and serving of food at drive-in restaurants and the like.

lt is an object of this invention to provide a tray which may be readily mounted on a vehicle door or the like wherein there is a space provided between the vehicle door panel and the glass.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved paperboard tray adapted for production in fiat form and readily erectible into use form without any tools.

It is a still further object to provide a unitary tray held in assembled position by means of locks and tabs struck from the blank itself, thereby eliminating the need of gluing, stapling or otherwise securing the cooperating elements by additional materials.

It is yet another object to provide a unitary tray which is small for individual service and is inexpensive so that it may be readily and economically expanded.

It is another object to provide paperboard trays which may be shipped ilat and assembled at point of use.

The above and other objects will become more apparent when taken in conjunction with the following detailed description and drawings, showing by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a plan view of the completed tray blank prior to assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the erected tray;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view showing the manner in which the tray is mounted on a vehicle door; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the tray in use on a suitable support.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1-4, the tray 1li comprises a semi-cylindrical bottom 12, a top portion 14 hinged from longitudinal edge 13 of the bottom and overlying and extending beyond the other longitudinal edge 15. The top portion 14 has a slot 16 which generally coincides with the longitudinal edge 15 of the bottom 12 which it overlies. It should be noted that the length of the slot is somewhat less than the length of the top portion 14. A panel member 18 extends from longitudinal edge 15 of the bottom and passes through the slot 1e to thus hold the tray in assembled position. A tab member 2t) is formed on each end of the panel 1S and turned 90 so as to engage the top member 14 and retain the panel 18 in slot 16.

It should be noted that panel 18 besides serving as an assembly detail is also useful as a display surface. It is an ideal position for advertising material.

As previously noted, the top portion 14 overlies and extends beyond the longitudinal edge 15 of the bottom from which projects the panel 18. A flap 22 extends from the longitudinal edge of the top portion 14 in such a manner that it may be readily swung about the line of connection 23 between the top 14 and the iiap 22.

The top portion 14 has a rectangular opening 24 struck therefrom so as to form a divider panel 26 hinged about fold line 3h. This divider panel 26 is swung downwardly 90 so that its free end will pass into and through trans- 3,151,578 Patented Oct. 6, 1964 ICC verse slot 32 located in the bottom 12 directly in line with the fold line 30 in the top portion.

A circular opening 34 is also formed in the top portion on the side of the divider panel 26 opposed to that of rectangular opening Z4. As is customary in such devices when an opening of the type is made to receive cups, glasses and the like of varying diameters alternate sectors 36 are punched out leaving sectors 38 of paperboard present whereby when the cup or other container is placed in the opening the sectors 38 will engage same to hold it snugly in place as best illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawing.

The blank 40 from which the tray is formed is shown in FIGURE l. The blank comprises a rectangular portion 42. adapted to be formed into semi-cylindrical bottom 12. (Obviously the bottom 12. need not be semicylindrical, it could be made rectangular by forming appropriate fold lines in portion 42.) Another rectangular portion 44 extends from one longitudinal side of the rectangular portion 42 and is adapted to be folded back over the line connecting rectangular portion 42 and rectangular portion 44 so as to overlie and extend beyond the other longitudinal edge of the bottom 12 to form the top portion 14. A semi-circular portion 46 extends from the other longitudinal marginal edge of the first rectangular portion 42 to form panel portion 13 ofthe erected tray. The second rectangular portion 44 has a longitudinal slot 48 which is adapted to coincide with the longitudinal edge of the bottom which it overlies. The panel portion 1h is adapted to pass through slot 48 when the tray is in erected position. Tab means 5t? are found on each side of panel portion 46 and are adapted to be swung about a vertical axis so as to engage the upper surface of the top portion 14 to retain the panel in the slot.

A third rectangular portion 52 extends from the free end of second rectangular portion 44 to form ilap 22 which is adapted to fit down between the vehicle door panel member and the glass member to hold the tray in position.

The second rectangular portion 44 has a circular opening 54 struck therefrom by cutting out sectors 56 and leaving in sectors 53 which fold about circumferential line 60. A divider member 62 is also struck from rectangular portion 44 and is hinged about line d4. The lirst rectangular portion 42 has a transverse slot 66 adapted to receive the free end of divider 62 when the tray is in the erected condition.

It is believed that the setting up and use of the tray of this invention is now obvious, however a brief description follows.

The tray is erected by folding second rectangular portion 44 back over first rectangular portion 42 and then passing portion 46 through slot 48 thereby causing the portion 42 to assume a semi-cylindrical shape. Divider member 62 is swung downwardly until its free end is received in transverse slot 66, after which tab means 50 are swung so that they engage the upper surface of the top portion 14 to thereby retain the tray in assembled condition.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, with the tray in assembled position the tlap 22 is passed down between door panel member l and glass member 72 so that the extended portion of the top 14 will rest on the panel member ti as illustrated. As shown in these figures the circular opening 34 is adapted to receive a cup or the like while the rectangular opening 24 is adapted to receive a sandwich or other suitable item.

This tray may be made from paperboard or the like which may be laminated with decorative layers as de sired to produce an attractive as well as a serviceable unit.

aiereve C3 I claim: l. A unitary tray adapted to be supported on a vehicle door or the like wherein there is a panel member and a glass member spaced therefrom, said tray comprising a semi-cylindrical bottom portion, a top portion hingedly secured to one upper free longitudinal edge of the bottom, said top portion overlying and extending beyond the other upper longitudinal edge of the bottom, the top portion having a slot therein generally coinciding with the upper edge of the bottom which it overlies, said slot being shorter than the length of the bottom, a display panel portion extending from the upper edge of the bottom which the top overlies, said display panel extending through and beyond the slot to retain the bottom and top in assembled relation, means on the display panel to engage the upper surface of the top adjacent the slot to retain the display panel in the slot and perpendicular to the top portion, and ap means extending from the free longitudinal edge of the top portion, said tlap means being adapted to t down between the panel member and the glass member to hold the tray in position on the vehicle door.

2. A unitary tray adapted to be supported on a car door or the like wherein there is a panel member and glass member spaced therefrom, said tray comprising a bottom portion having upwardly extending side wall portions, a Hat top portion connected to the upper end of one of the side walls and extending over and beyond the other, said bottom portion having a slot extending perpendicularly to the side wall portions, a divider panel struck from the top portion and hinged along a line in alignment with the slot in the bottom portion, said divider panel being swung downwardly so that the free end will tit into the slot to retain the divider panel in position thus dividing the bottom portion into two compartments, and llap means extending from one longitudinal side of the top portion, said tlap means being adapted to t down between the panel member and the glass to support the tray.

3. A unitary tray adapted to be supported on a vehicle door or the like wherein there is a panel member and a glass member spaced therefrom, said tray comprising a semi-cylindrical bottom portion, a top portion hingedly secured to one upper free longitudinal edge of the bottom, and said bottom portion having a slot extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the bottom portion, a divider panel cut from the top portion and hinged therefrom along a line in alignment with the slot in the bottom portion, said divider panel being swung downwardly so that its free end ts into the slot to retain the divider panel in position thereby dividing the bottom portion into two compartments, said top portion overlying and extending beyond the other upper longitudinal edge of the bottom, the top portion having a slot therein generally coinciding with the upper edge of the bottom which it overlies, said slot being shorter than the length of the bottom, a display panel portion extending from the upper edge of the botom which the top overlies, said display panel extending through and beyond the slot to retain the bottom and top in assembled relation, means on the display panel to engage the upper surface of the top adjacent the slot to retain the display panel in the slot and perpendicularly upward from the top, and flap means extending from the free longitudinal edge of the top portion, said ap means being adapted to t down between the panel member and the glass member to hold the tray in position on the vehicle door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,915,958 Skirrow lune 27, 1933 2,546,812 Anderson Mar. 27, 1951 2,695,712 Kolander Nov. 30, 1954 2,770,411 MacKay NOV. 13, 1956 2,808,191 Cramer Oct. l, 1957 3,052,506 Thomas Sept. 4, 1962 

1. A UNITARY TRAY ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED ON A VEHICLE DOOR OR THE LIKE WHEREIN THERE IS A PANEL MEMBER AND A GLASS MEMBER SPACED THEREFROM, SAID TRAY COMPRISING A SEMI-CYLINDRICAL BOTTOM PORTION, A TOP PORTION HINGEDLY SECURED TO ONE UPPER FREE LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF THE BOTTOM, SAID TOP PORTION OVERLYING AND EXTENDING BEYOND THE OTHER UPPER LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF THE BOTTOM, THE TOP PORTION HAVING A SLOT THEREIN GENERALLY COINCIDING WITH THE UPPER EDGE OF THE BOTTOM WHICH IT OVERLIES, SAID SLOT BEING SHORTER THAN THE LENGTH OF THE BOTTOM, A DISPLAY PANEL PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER EDGE OF THE BOTTOM WHICH THE TOP OVERLIES, SAID DISPLAY PANEL EXTENDING THROUGH AND BEYOND THE SLOT TO RETAIN THE BOTTOM AND TOP IN ASSEMBLED RELATION, MEANS ON THE DISPLAY PANEL TO ENGAGE THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE TOP ADJACENT THE SLOT TO RETAIN THE DISPLAY PANEL IN THE SLOT AND PERPENDICULAR TO THE TOP PORTION, AND FLAP MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE FREE LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF THE TOP PORTION, SAID FLAP MEANS LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF THE TOP PORTION, SAID FLAP MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO FIT DOWN BETWEEN THE PANEL MEMBER AND THE GLASS MEMBER TO HOLD THE TRAY IN POSITON ON THE VEHICLE DOOR. 